What did you do for a career and would you pick it again?

[Crosche]

The older I get and the more I learn and figure out, the less I know. I would have loved to have had access to forums, and the internet like this when I was growing up, and going through highschool/college. I'd like to think I would have made a few different choices that didn't pigeon hole future Dan, but then again I'm not so sure. It would have broadened my horizons for sure. Growing up in a small town, with small narrow minded viewpoint of the world beyond my borders. I was only a few years too late. The lost generation between x and millennials that grew up primarily without tech and was raised by a generation prepping us for a world that was no longer there.































































Think of and calculate your education ROI. Figure out how much time you need to invest into getting the designation, then figure out how much your time (as a young engineer now) is worth. Then figure out how much extra having that designation could potentially earn you, and how long it will take to pay you back. Your time now, is relatively cheap (and available) now. As you get older and gain experience it won't be. It's a big world out there and it's constantly changing. You don't yet know where you'll be in 10 years, but getting it now could open a really cool door for future Xyphota.































































I wish more schools would explain degrees, and diploma programs like that. Maybe we'd have less student debt crisis when people realize their bachelor of arts degree majoring in historic basket weaving has an ROI timeline of 327 years, with 3 available roles in the entire world. Maybe it would qualify you to work at a rena fair and make $150 a weekend.

That's not in the buisness model, university's are major for profit operation now, they don't care what you take or how useful it is, so long as you keep paying tuition.

Part of that problem IMO, highschool teachers, most of them don't have the life experience to know that university isn't the magic bullet...at least not for everyone, most of them went from school, to school back to school. So what do they do, push absolutely everyone to go to university, now kids head there thinking that's what they HAVE to do, they pick some kind of bs degree because they really don't know what they want to do and feel they need a degree, come out the other end with a bunch of debt working at Starbucks with there useless arts history major.

I think university is good, for some things, engineering for sure...degrees that have jobs, but so much of it is just fluff, and some people just don't have the aptitude for uni.

I'm not a uni grad, there was no way to afford it, so I went with what worked for me, but if you can afford it and it works for you, it pays dividends. I have a handful of friends who are engineers, etc, I make the same and more than some, but I work a shit load harder, no vaycay days, etc etc, they have benefits I will never have, and I am definitely envious of that some days

Plus none of them have ever taken a sh!t in a porta pottie at -25

IMHO, in an ideal world everyone would have the benefit of attending some university courses to push oneself intellectually and perhaps gain some appreciation that there is some subject matter that is above (or beyond) us. Additionally, we would all have to perform some type of menial labour to learn that no task is beneath us regardless of the station we were born to.

 

[Doggggboy]

IMHO, in an ideal world everyone would have the benefit of attending some university courses to push oneself intellectually and perhaps gain some appreciation that there is some subject matter that is above (or beyond) us. Additionally, we would all have to perform some type of menial labour to learn that no task is beneath us regardless of the station we were born to.

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”​

― Robert A. Heinlein

 

[Xyphota]

The whole education system is messed up, but I don't think the problem is people taking basket weaving classes. Most of an engineering degree is a also waste of time as far as what is actually used in your job. The actual benefits of undergrad apply regardless of discipline if one is taking it seriously.

I completely agree with @Crosche, everyone should have the opportunity to improve themselves, but I'd also add that everyone should have to work in a customer service role in retail LOL.

 

[PaulL]

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”​

― Robert A. Heinlein

Haven't had a go a "die galantly" yet. I've been putting that one off.
[Edit: The sonnet was hard]

 

[Xyphota]

I agree, lots can be improved. I think we are the edge of breaking some site rules though so perhaps we should leave it at that lol

 

[Rauce]

I did a university degree that was not entirely useless but useless unless I pursued grad school. I wasn‘t confident enough to keep going down that path so I did what had been my summer job (bike shop) full time for a few years. That turned into an office job at a bike company. It was nice getting to work on stuff I was interested in, learn about manufacturing and get great deals on bikes and parts but that industry really relies on people’s passion and the pay is crap. I got layed off when the parent company relocated the office to the US.

I’d already been doing hobby machining and fabrication so I went and did a millwright pre-apprenticeship program at a college. It was free but a bit tight financially with no income for four months. I landed a good job after that and I think it really helped that I was a bit older and already learned a lot about metalworking and machinery on my own. No portapotties or grunt work, mostly precision and problem solving. One downside for me at that job though was not getting to play machinist or welder. There were full time machinists and welders there so no treading on their turf unless it was g job and you said pretty please. I would have stuck around there longer but after 3 years, two more levels of trade school and additional training I hadn’t seen a raise. Had no trouble finding another job and getting 50% more per hour. The 3 years experience rebuilding rotating equipment sealed the deal.

In retrospect I don’t think I’d do it too much differently if I could go back. I‘m not sure if things are any different now but 15 years ago when I was high school the only way most teachers would have pushed a student towards a trade was if they were struggling academically, which I think is a shame. I still remember a teacher I had in grade 9 integrated tech telling me he was disappointed I wouldn’t be taking metal shop with him in grade 10 because I was a “smart kid”.

 

[Dabbler]

Congrats on getting treatment for ADHD. I just went back on meds, after 12 years off of them. Makes a big difference! You might find a longer term effect is more patience for the slow pace of skills acquisition at you present job.

 

[DPittman]

Pfft! Speak for yourself! I fully plan to live forever!

Like some comedian said " I plan on living for ever...... so far so good"

 

[StevSmar]

I’m an Electrical Engineer. I‘ve always regretted that I didn’t follow my heart and became an Aeronautical Engineer. But I do like Electrical Engineering so perhaps I would have been happy with any type of engineering- I’m an engineer first and an Electrical Engineer second…

I unintentionally had a career change and am now working in Transportation Engineering (95% administering Transportation programs, 5% providing an electrical opinion to our Transportation group). It’s the best job I’ve had so far. I moved to this job because of a desire to have someone that could be knowledgable on Roadway Lighting and Airfield Lighting. Our group doesn’t need an Electrical Engineer full-time, so at this stage in my career (retiring in a few years) it’s a good fit for me and my employer.

I’ve found that jobs are 10% things I like doing, 70% things I don’t mind doing, 20% things I dislike doing. If I don’t like a job then it probably is 30% things I don’t like doing.

Don’t stay in a job you hate, it will eat you up and be bad for your employer. But be realistic, you’re being paid to do a job that will have some crappy parts.

My recommendation is you get your P.Eng. designation before you consider a career change.

 

[GlenG]

I am 2 years out of school employed as a mechanical engineer-in-training and I am quite bored with my job. I think I could be much happier with just a different engineering role at a different company, but I am wondering if I would be happier doing something else.

I enjoy working with my hands and obviously like metal-working in my garage, so should I consider trying to do that for a living and become a machinist or a welder?

I'm a bit late to the thread, but I'm a Mechanical Engineer with almost 30yrs in, stick it out and get through your EIT. If you are truly bored ask for more, as somone who leads a large group of metal workers, engineers and technologists, managers always appreciate somone asking for "more" or "different challanges". Once you're thru find a job that you enjoy more, it's takes most people a few years to get into a job anyways. As a Mecahnial Engineer you can work in almost any industry, I've worked NDT, machine tool, machine design, reliability and aerospace, so you don't need to feel constrained by what you are doing today.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

At one stage of my life I would work during the summer, ski during the winter. I did that for couple of years. When I skied, which I enjoyed doing, I paid the lift company money . When I worked, the company paid me money. So that was how I viewed work. My carpenter's ticket allowed me that life style.

 

[DavidR8]

Folks, as the OP is on track to be an engineer, don't go down the engineer-bashing route.

 

[Mcgyver]

Folks, as the OP is on track to be an engineer, don't go down the engineer-bashing route.

was someone doing that? I hope I wasn't perceived as doing so....my point was the vocation skills aside, its a powerful credential.

 

[Xyphota]

I haven't interpreted anything as engineer bashing and as the advice has been overwhelmingly to stick it out, I'd say perspective pointing the other way is still welcome!

I've really enjoyed hearing about what everyone's careers. Now I need to get everyone's advice on a more important matter...

Who did you choose to marry, and would you pick them again??

Just kidding

 

[whydontu]

I haven't interpreted anything as engineer bashing and as the advice has been overwhelmingly to stick it out, I'd say perspective pointing the other way is still welcome!

I've really enjoyed hearing about what everyone's careers. Now I need to get everyone's advice on a more important matter...

Who did you choose to marry, and would you pick them again??

Just kidding

#1, best friends wife, no
#2, random lady off the internet, yes

 

[phaxtris]

Also random lady of the Internet, yes

so far so good, she hasn't murdered me in my sleep yet

 

[jcdammeyer]

@Susquatch is like 95 and counting so you should be fine for another 50 years

Me? I'm going to be 42 forever.

 

[YotaBota]

It's amazing how smart the uneducated can be. I was told once by an older gentleman with very little to his name;
"marry first for money, you'll have the rest of your life to find love"
I guess he never took his own advise.

 

[Tom O]

Even a Engineer can’t fix her wagon without a Lawyer.

 

[Six O Two]

I did what had been my summer job (bike shop) full time for a few years

I worked summers at a few bikeshops through high school and university. Being a bike shop mechanic is the job I hold most fondly in my heart and often think of returning to, but of course it's crap pay and really hard to support a family or buy a house being a bike mechanic.